"Heathcliff, if I were you, I'd go stretch myself over her grave and die like a faithful dog. The world is surely not worth living in now, is it? You had distinctly impressed on me the idea that Catherine was the whole joy of your life: I can't imagine how you think of surviving her loss." (page 219)
This is one of my favorite moments in Isabella's dialogue with Heathcliff because I feel as if it's the ultimate burn for the year 1801. After Heathcliff tricks her into marrying him, he immediately starts treating her like garbage and she gets stuck in a relationship that she doesn't deserve. Although her tone is clearly bitter, angry, and resentful here, I have to admit that I think she is somewhat justified in her cruelty. Whereas she doesn't deserve the animosity that Heathcliff shows her because she had no control of Catherine's death, he completely does deserve the cruelty she shows him because he is so mean to everyone around him. Throughout this novel, I think that the overall tone tends to be one of a more "dismal spiritual atmosphere" and is somewhat gloomy. It's centered around love and anguish, and tends to be more negative rather than a novel of romantic happiness. The writing style is not what was typical of the time period, but that's why I like it. I think that Emily Bronte effectively wrote a novel that differed from all others in her time; essentially making this piece timeless today.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Situational Irony
"Linton denied that people ever hated their wives; but Cathy affirmed they did, and, in her wisdom, instanced his own father's aversion to her aunt...'Well I'll tell you something,' said Linton. 'Your mother hated your father: now then. And she loved mine,' added he." (page 295)
There was something about this passage that struck me. It was comical to me that both characters (meaning Catherine and Linton) were utterly convinced of their own side of the story but knew nothing of the other's. It was a perfect demonstration of how contrasting Edgar and Heathcliff were of each other and how they passed on their biased views to their children. It's also really interesting how interconnected all of the characters are in this novel. And I'm sorry, but am I the only one who finds it slightly disturbing that Catherine married her cousin? And then when he died she fell in love with her other cousin. Either way, the characters in this literary work are a little too close for comfort. In fact, the entire plot is a situationally ironic circumstance in my opinion because it is so far-fetched.
There was something about this passage that struck me. It was comical to me that both characters (meaning Catherine and Linton) were utterly convinced of their own side of the story but knew nothing of the other's. It was a perfect demonstration of how contrasting Edgar and Heathcliff were of each other and how they passed on their biased views to their children. It's also really interesting how interconnected all of the characters are in this novel. And I'm sorry, but am I the only one who finds it slightly disturbing that Catherine married her cousin? And then when he died she fell in love with her other cousin. Either way, the characters in this literary work are a little too close for comfort. In fact, the entire plot is a situationally ironic circumstance in my opinion because it is so far-fetched.
Motivation
"The nuisance of her presence (Isabella's) outweighs the gratification to be derived from tormenting her!" -- Heathcliff (pg.188)
After marrying Isabella, Heathcliff wastes no time in telling her that he doesn't actually care for her, he just found their marriage to be convenient. His motivation for doing it was the knowledge that it would upset Edgar above all else, and he knew it would allow him to start conniving his way into attaining Thrushcross Grange for himself. If Isabella outlived Edgar, which was likely at the time, the Grange would become her property and therefore in his control. Throughout Wuthering Heights, I find most of Heathcliff's motivations for his actions to be rather interesting. It's almost as if he wants everyone around him to be more miserable than he is because of the overwhelming grief he feels for Cathy's demise. Though I sympathize with him to an extent, for the most part I find his actions to be unpredictable and overly cruel. I keep thinking that at some point in this novel he is going to change dynamically and become a benefactor, but so far I have been entirely incorrect in that conjecture. He truly is one of the coldest characters I've come to know.
After marrying Isabella, Heathcliff wastes no time in telling her that he doesn't actually care for her, he just found their marriage to be convenient. His motivation for doing it was the knowledge that it would upset Edgar above all else, and he knew it would allow him to start conniving his way into attaining Thrushcross Grange for himself. If Isabella outlived Edgar, which was likely at the time, the Grange would become her property and therefore in his control. Throughout Wuthering Heights, I find most of Heathcliff's motivations for his actions to be rather interesting. It's almost as if he wants everyone around him to be more miserable than he is because of the overwhelming grief he feels for Cathy's demise. Though I sympathize with him to an extent, for the most part I find his actions to be unpredictable and overly cruel. I keep thinking that at some point in this novel he is going to change dynamically and become a benefactor, but so far I have been entirely incorrect in that conjecture. He truly is one of the coldest characters I've come to know.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
my thoughts
"I was amazed, more than ever, to behold the transformation of Heathcliff. He had grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man; beside whom my master seemed quite slender and youth-like. His upright carriage suggested the idea of his having been in the army. His countenance was much older in expression and decision of feature than Mr. Linton's; it looked intelligent, and retained no marks of former degradation." (pg 118)
Personally, I have really enjoyed this novel so far. I like how the characters are atypical of that of a normal love story, and I like how Heathcliff is not what one would consider a romantic hero. While it is true that sometimes I think he is overly cruel, it is also refreshing to not be able to predict anything he is going to do. The question that I keep asking myself as I read this story is which character should I pity the most. Many would argue that Heathcliff is too cruel to deserve sympathy, but I almost think that he is the one that deserves the most due to his history. If Catherine had not broken his heart at such an early age, he may have turned out completely different. I like to imagine what Heathcliff would have been like if he had been the one to marry Catherine instead, but that is equally difficult to picture. For example, if he had never run away then he probably would not have been motivated to become educated or rich. For reasons like these, I am happy to an extent that he left Wuthering Heights for a short time. Once he became educated and wealthy, Catherine had no grounds left to criticize him for.
Personally, I have really enjoyed this novel so far. I like how the characters are atypical of that of a normal love story, and I like how Heathcliff is not what one would consider a romantic hero. While it is true that sometimes I think he is overly cruel, it is also refreshing to not be able to predict anything he is going to do. The question that I keep asking myself as I read this story is which character should I pity the most. Many would argue that Heathcliff is too cruel to deserve sympathy, but I almost think that he is the one that deserves the most due to his history. If Catherine had not broken his heart at such an early age, he may have turned out completely different. I like to imagine what Heathcliff would have been like if he had been the one to marry Catherine instead, but that is equally difficult to picture. For example, if he had never run away then he probably would not have been motivated to become educated or rich. For reasons like these, I am happy to an extent that he left Wuthering Heights for a short time. Once he became educated and wealthy, Catherine had no grounds left to criticize him for.
Symbol
Setting ---> Moors
"This is certainly a beautiful country!" (pg 3)
Throughout the novel, I have found the setting to be significant through the repetitive mentioning of the moors. As the book begins, the moors are immediately described as " completely removed from the stir of society" and are viewed as isolated. To me, this resembles Heathcliff's detachment from society and gradual resignation from the world. Even the novel's title is based off the rugged setting of the storyline. "Wuthering", as the narrator explains, is a local adjective used to describe the fierce winds that blow during storms on the moors. Oftentimes, storms or cold weather are mentioned as further evidence of the novel's overall tone of unhappiness. At one point, I noticed that the moors even seemed to match Cathy's emotions during significant moments. After she realized that Heathcliff had run away, she stood outside in "the growling thunder, and the great drops that began to splash around her" didn't affect her as "she remained, calling at intervals, and then listening and then crying outright" for Heathcliff to come back. Here, I thought that the weather obviously correlated with her internal struggle and her desperation for Heathcliff to return home. Just as the moors are wild and unpredictable, so is the character of Catherine.
"This is certainly a beautiful country!" (pg 3)
Throughout the novel, I have found the setting to be significant through the repetitive mentioning of the moors. As the book begins, the moors are immediately described as " completely removed from the stir of society" and are viewed as isolated. To me, this resembles Heathcliff's detachment from society and gradual resignation from the world. Even the novel's title is based off the rugged setting of the storyline. "Wuthering", as the narrator explains, is a local adjective used to describe the fierce winds that blow during storms on the moors. Oftentimes, storms or cold weather are mentioned as further evidence of the novel's overall tone of unhappiness. At one point, I noticed that the moors even seemed to match Cathy's emotions during significant moments. After she realized that Heathcliff had run away, she stood outside in "the growling thunder, and the great drops that began to splash around her" didn't affect her as "she remained, calling at intervals, and then listening and then crying outright" for Heathcliff to come back. Here, I thought that the weather obviously correlated with her internal struggle and her desperation for Heathcliff to return home. Just as the moors are wild and unpredictable, so is the character of Catherine.
Figurative Language
"My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being." (page 102)
This was one of my favorite moments in the novel thus far. It is within these few sentences that Catherine explains her feelings for Edgar and Heathcliff, and it is here where the reader is able to understand what she is feeling without having to guess. I found her metaphors to be quite revealing, and understood afterward that what she felt for Heathcliff was true love whereas what she felt for Linton was merely superficial. Heathcliff is like the other half of herself, and she had been inseparable from him throughout her entire life. Honestly, I couldn't comprehend her actually being able to marry someone else when she had such strong feelings for Heathcliff. When it came down to it, Catherine's decision of who to marry was based on entirely different premises. Tempted by wealth and social status, Catherine married Linton because he was rich, handsome, young, and cheerful. Essentially, she married him for all the wrong reasons. At one point she tried to defend her position for Heathcliff's sake, saying that if she were to marry Edgar she could aid Heathcliff is rising from her brother's power. I, on the other hand, saw this as a blatant lie and a weak excuse to do what was easier rather than what was right.
This was one of my favorite moments in the novel thus far. It is within these few sentences that Catherine explains her feelings for Edgar and Heathcliff, and it is here where the reader is able to understand what she is feeling without having to guess. I found her metaphors to be quite revealing, and understood afterward that what she felt for Heathcliff was true love whereas what she felt for Linton was merely superficial. Heathcliff is like the other half of herself, and she had been inseparable from him throughout her entire life. Honestly, I couldn't comprehend her actually being able to marry someone else when she had such strong feelings for Heathcliff. When it came down to it, Catherine's decision of who to marry was based on entirely different premises. Tempted by wealth and social status, Catherine married Linton because he was rich, handsome, young, and cheerful. Essentially, she married him for all the wrong reasons. At one point she tried to defend her position for Heathcliff's sake, saying that if she were to marry Edgar she could aid Heathcliff is rising from her brother's power. I, on the other hand, saw this as a blatant lie and a weak excuse to do what was easier rather than what was right.
Point of View
"It is astonishing how sociable I feel myself, compared with him." (pg 10)
Something that I found interesting about Wuthering Heights is the perspective in which it is narrated to the reader. It is not told by someone close to Heathcliff, but rather from the third person point of view of Lockwood, who is a tenant of Heathcliff's living on Thrushcross Grange. Lockwood's first impressions and encounters with Heathcliff are told to the audience, but from then on his history is told by another third party observer: Nelly Dean. The structure of the novel is mostly in the form of storytelling, and since it is a story within a story it could be classified as a framestory. Upon beginning the novel, the reader is unaware of how all the characters relate to one another until Nelly's narration explains all of their relationships. Also, Bronte makes it easy to keep track of time passing because she interrupts Nelly's storytelling by entering back into Lockwood's point of view. For instance, when he is dozing off Nelly says:
"But Mr. Lockwood, I forget these tales cannot divert you. I'm annoyed how I should dream of chattering on at such a rate; and your gruel cold, and you nodding for bed!"
This clever interruption keeps the reader in track of how much time is passing and how Lockwood is processing the information being revealed about Heathcliff. It is yet another component to Bronte's novel which enhances its effectiveness.
Something that I found interesting about Wuthering Heights is the perspective in which it is narrated to the reader. It is not told by someone close to Heathcliff, but rather from the third person point of view of Lockwood, who is a tenant of Heathcliff's living on Thrushcross Grange. Lockwood's first impressions and encounters with Heathcliff are told to the audience, but from then on his history is told by another third party observer: Nelly Dean. The structure of the novel is mostly in the form of storytelling, and since it is a story within a story it could be classified as a framestory. Upon beginning the novel, the reader is unaware of how all the characters relate to one another until Nelly's narration explains all of their relationships. Also, Bronte makes it easy to keep track of time passing because she interrupts Nelly's storytelling by entering back into Lockwood's point of view. For instance, when he is dozing off Nelly says:
"But Mr. Lockwood, I forget these tales cannot divert you. I'm annoyed how I should dream of chattering on at such a rate; and your gruel cold, and you nodding for bed!"
This clever interruption keeps the reader in track of how much time is passing and how Lockwood is processing the information being revealed about Heathcliff. It is yet another component to Bronte's novel which enhances its effectiveness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)